SeeNob Hill-Russian Hill

Famous hotels

Pretend you are a guest and not just a visitor, and have a look around the lobbies of some swanky San Francisco hotels. The Fairmont and Mark Hopkins have impressive lobbies that will leave you counting your pennies to see if you can afford a room. See below under the Sleep section for further info.

Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: San Francisco/Nob Hill-Russian Hill, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 27 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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More in San Francisco

SeeAttractionUnion Square-Financial District
Transamerica Pyramid
San Francisco's tallest and most famous skyscraper, controversial when it opened, but now accepted. There used to be an unusual observation deck on the ground floor with 4 big TV monitors, showing live views of the city transmitted from cameras at the top of the building. They now have a happy worker at the bottom that tells you anything and everything you want to know about San Francisco and has some great stories. Then he tells you that they no longer have the 4 big TVs and are building a restaurant where you can view the city from inside.
Mo-Sa 11:00-17:00; Su 12:00-18:00 · Wheelchair accessible
SeeAttractionNob Hill-Russian Hill
Lombard Street
Do see the "crookedest street in the world", a one-block portion of Lombard Street that contains eight hairpin turns, created to reduce the hill's natural steep slope. The best time to see and photograph the winding street from the bottom (from Leavenworth St) is in the morning because Lombard Street runs east-west and slopes eastward. The best time to see and photograph the view from the top (from Hyde St) is in the afternoon. At night there are great views of Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower. The wild parrots of Telegraph Hill frequently fly over head in the morning.
24/7
SeeViewpointChinatown-North Beach
Coit Tower
Visible from much of San Francisco and the Bay Area, Coit Tower stands atop Telegraph Hill and gives an excellent view of the bay and the rest of the city. The tower was built by the Federal Works Projects Administration in 1933 with money bequeathed by eccentric San Franciscan Lillie Coit. Coit was said to have chased after firefighters as a young girl, and as an older woman sponsored her favorite fire company. A fan of the volunteer city firefighters, and local legend has it that the shape of the tower is supposed to simulate the end of a fire hose — although the architects denied this claim. The first and second floors house beautiful examples of New Deal-era idealist murals, and the top floor (reached by elevator) has featured paintings or other art. Artists put in their own signatures and messages in the murals, which interpretive plaques point out.
May–Oct: 10AM-6PM daily; Nov–Apr: 10AM-5PM daily · $8 for elevator to top floor ($5 seniors/teens, $2 children 5-11, children under 5 free); the rest is free · Limited wheelchair access · Built 1933
SeeArt museumThe Avenues
de Young Museum
A modern and ethnic art focused museum, with three levels of exhibits with contemporary and historical pieces from America as well as art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas in a uniquely-designed building with courtyards and sculpture gardens that includes Three Gems piece by Turrell. One corner of the building houses the free Hamon Observation Tower which offers a lovely 360-degree view of the park and surroundings.
Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun 9:30AM-5:15PM, Fri 9:30AM-8:45PM · $15 adults, $10 seniors, $6 students, free for 17 and under; includes same-day admission to the Legion of Honor. Special exhibits may require extra admission; first Tuesday of each month free